Desperate Times Call For Desperate Measures Series

Sunday Evening January 12, 2003 Bel Aire Baptist Church

Series: ¡§Stubborn Saints¡¨(#2)

DESPERATE TIMES CALL FOR DESPERATE MEASURES

Jonah 2:1-10

Introduction:

1. How many times have you waited until you ran out of all other options to ask God for help? As the saying goes, ¡§Desperate times call for desperate measures¡¨. That is how it is often times with Christians.

2. Last week we watched Jonah run from God¡¦s call and in the last verse of Jonah chapter 1 we find Jonah in the belly of a great fish.

3. Jonah learned that he could run from God but he could not hide. Now we find Jonah saying a prayer to God.

When You Mess Up

Jonah 2:1-6

1. Jonah was running from God, but now he was inside this great fish and was feeling like God had abandoned Him. Whose fault was this? Did God abandon Jonah? Who ran? Remember that Jonah did not cry out to God during the storm, but now he is screaming to God for help. There is a great comfort in this passage for me. That comfort is the fact that although Jonah deserved to be abandon, God never left him. You may feel like God has abandoned you, but if you¡¦re a child of His, He will never do that.

2. Although God had not abandoned Jonah, He did need Jonah to realize Who was in charge and that he had sinned against God. Inside that fish it was dark and stinky and when we are trapped by sin, it is dark and stinky. Jonah was feeling sorry for himself and wanted God to know how hard his life was.

3. But, notice how all of a sudden Jonah remembers Who saved him from dieing. Now Jonah begins to realize that this is not God¡¦s fault, but his own. So what should Jonah do? What should we do when we realize that our life is a mess and we need to change? Repent!!!

When You Repent

Jonah 2:7-10

1. Jonah is now telling God that he had messed up and he was going to get right.

2. See, he was repenting of his sin. Notice repentance is not just saying, ¡§I¡¦m sorry¡¨. Repentance is asking God for forgiveness and then going in God¡¦s direction.

3. Verse 9 is so important. Look at what all happens in this verse.

„« Jonah made a sacrifice to God. A blood sacrifice is necessary for remission of sin. That is what Jesus did for the world. He was the ultimate sacrifice.

„« Jonah promised to do what God had called him to do.

„« Jonah realized that it is God Who gives salvation. It is so important that we never forget that on our own we have no chance.

Conclusion:

1. After Jonah repented of his sin, it was over. He is out of the fish.

2. All God wants from us is obedience. Keep being stupid, doing it your way and God will correct you, but if you will repent of your sins and follow God, He will free you from what has you trapped.

3. Get right with God today!